Game apparatus.



M. MARIS.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28, 1907.

943,435. Patented Dec. 14, 1909..

Z6 z? z m Z0 Z6 Z7 Z8 Z9 UNITED STATS ATNT UFFICE.

MAXIMILIEN MARIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAME APPARATUS.

Original appIication filed September 18, 1906, Serial N 0. 335,066. Divided and this application filed January Serial No. 354,373.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAXIMILIEN MARIs, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

The invention relates to the class of game apparatus employing a plurality of variously marked game pieces consisting of blocks, cards or the like, and which may be used in playing a variety of games, either alone or in conjunction with a prepared game board.

The object of the invention is to provide improved game pieces simple and attractive in form, and cheap and durable in construction.

This application is filed in compliance with a requirement for division made in the application Serial No. 335,066 filed by me September 18, 1906.

The invention is hereinafter fully described and claimed and is also set forth in the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one exemplification of the invention and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a game board with which my improved game piece is adapted to be used. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of one of the game pieces or blocks.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the entire series of blocks or pieces as ordinarily em ployed by me. In this view the various pieces are grouped in rectangular form for the purpose of illustrating the various con1 binations of colors employed in the indi vidual pieces. Fig. 41 is an illustrative view of the game board and a series of the blocks or game pieces placed thereon, showing the manner of matching the colors or other designated marks on the pieces or blocks in playing one form of game to which the game pieces are adapted, and illustrating one manner of counting.

In Fig. 2, the typical form of the game piece or block is illustrated and designated by the character 41. It will be seen that these blocks are rectangular in form and in this exemplification correspond approximately to the sizes of the squares on the board 40. These game pieces may be con structed of wood, similar to dominoes or Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 145:, 1909..

checkers, having some thickness, which makes them convenient to handle. Any convenient material, of course, may be used as paper or metal. Each piece is divided on one of its rectangular surfaces into four triangular fields by its diagonal lines. Each of these fields is designated by colors, no two like colors appearing on the same block. The game board 40 is preferably square in shape or provided with a square field, which is divided into a plurality of similar squares or fields after the fashion of the ordinary chess or checker board. In its present embodiment the board consists of a series of thirtysix squares, of equal size, or six. squares across each side thereof designated by the numerals 1 to 36 inclusive. The board is further divided into three fields. one of which comprises the outer row of squares extending continuously around the board. This outer series of squares is indi cated by the color blue; a second field comprises the four inner squares on the board by the numerals 15, 16, 21 and 22, which are colored red; the remaining squares on the board consisting of the continuous row of squares comprised between the outer field of blue and the inner field of red form the third field, which is colored white. For convenience the colors red, white and blue have been applied to these fields on the board but. it is obvious that this color scheme may be varied by the use of any other colors or combinations of colors.

Fig. 3 fully illustrates the color scheme used on the game pieces and in this embodiment, it will be observed that the colors red, white and blue are employed wit-h the addition of the colors orange and black. It is not essential that the same colors employed on the board should be used on the game pieces, for it will be seen that the game as hereinafter described, will'not be interfered with if the colors used on the board do not appear at all on the game pieces. I11 Fig. 2 it will be noticed that the block ll has a surface divided into four colors, orange, black, blue and red, indicated by 41 451 41 41 respectively. In Fig. 3 the entire series of blocks are grouped according to the colors employed, there being five groups of, blocks with six in each group. The upper row or tier of blocks designated by 42 to 42 respectively employ all of the colors on the corner square is immaterial.

mentioned except white. The second row or tier consisting of blocks 43 to 48 respectively, employ all of the colors except red. The third row or tier consisting of blocks 44? to t i respectively, employ all colors except blue. The fourth row or tier, blocks 45'" to 45 employs all colors except black, while the six blocks in the bottom row or tier, 46 to 46 do not use the orange color. It will be noted that in each group of the blocks, consisting of six blocks as described, the relative arrangement of the colors on each block in the triangular fields is diiferent so that no two blocks in the entire series of thirty have the same color arrangement.

I will now briefly describe one of the games which may be played with the apparatus. The game may be played by two, three or four players. The blocks should first be turned face down and thoroughly mixed. If the game is to be played by two or four players, one block must be taken out; and if by three players, two blocks must be taken out. The blocks being turned face down one of the players draws a block and places it on one of the corners of the board with its face exposed. This may be illustrated by the position of block &2- which is shown in position on square 1 on the gameboard. The manner of facing the colors on the game piece or block 42 when first placed The players now divide the blocks equally among themselves but without exposing their faces to view; then each player in turn draws a block out of his own stock and tries to match any of the colors offered by the blocks or game pieces 011 the board. This may be illustrated by the red triangular field on the block 12 on square 1 in Fig. a which matches with the red triangular field on block 4A occupying square 12. Two like colors on blocks must not face the same square on the board. In matching the colors on the blocks each color has a differentvalue. Red counts 5, white l, blue 3, orange 2 and black 1. The relative positions of the color matches on the board with regard to the red, white and blue fields, is also taken into consideration in counting. A match entirely on the blue field on the board is counted once, or, the value of the color matches as enumerated. A match on the line between the blue field and the white field is counted twice its value as designated above. A match entirely on the white field on the board is counted three times; on the line between the white field and the red is counted four times; and a match entirely on the red field as indicated by the match of the red color as on the blocks appearing on squares 15 and 22 is counted five times. For example, in the arrangement of the blocks in Fig. i, blocks appearing on squares 1 and 12 match their red triangular surfaces so as to have a square entirely on the blue field on the board. A red match on blocks counts 5; the multiple of the blue field is 1, so that the count in this case is 5. The blocks on squares 11 and 12 match white on the white and blue fields. \Vhite on blocks counts a, while the multiple in this case is 2, so that the count is eight. The count of the other matching blocks is similarlymade so that in the case of blocks on the inner squares 15 and 22 the count for the player who makes this match would be 25, as a red match on blocks counts 5 and the multiple of a match entirely on red field is 5; hence, the count is 5 times 5. If a player matches more than one color at a time he counts for each of them according to value and position. If a player draws a block and cannot match any colors offered on the board he puts it aside allowing it to stand face upward and without counting allows the next player to proceed; that block cannot be played again. The game is at an end when all the players have had an opportunity to place all their blocks. The highest sum of all the gains wins.

hat I claim is 1. A set of game pieces comprising a plurality of marked rectangular objects and being divided into a plurality of groups by a different selection of markings for each group, each of said objects having a surface divided by diagonals into triangular spaces, said spaces being differently marked in such manner that each of the pieces may be matched at two or more sides, and the pieces in each of the said groups being similarly marked with respect to the selection of markings employed.

2. A set of game pieces comprising a plurality of rectangular objects and being divided into a plurality of groups by a different selection of colors for each group, each of said objects having a surface divided by diagonals into triangular spaces, said spaces being differently colored in such manner that each of the pieces may be matched at three sides, and the pieces in each of the said groups being similarly marked with respect to the selection of colors employed.

3. A set of game pieces consisting of thirty rectangular pieces, each having a surface divided by diagonals into triangular spaces, said spaces being differently colored in such manner that the pieces may be matched at two or more sides, and the said pieces being divided into five groups by a different selection of colors for each group, having six pieces in each group, the selection of colors employed in marking the pieces in each of said groups being identical.

4. A set of game pieces comprising a plurality of rectangular objects provided with markings on their horizontal faces by having said horizontal faces divided into a plurality of fields adjacent their edges, each of said fields being provided with a mark or designation, said objects being divided into a plurality of groups by a different selection of markings for each group, each of said objects of each group having their horizon tal faces bearing the marks in a different order of arrangement, whereby each piece may be matched at two or more sides, and

10 the pieces in each of the said groups being similarly marked with respect to the selection of markings employed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 26th day 15 of January, A. D. 1907.

MAXIMILIEN MARIS. Witnesses Eow. DAVIESON, A. L. SPRINKLE. 

